The Rev. Rick Warren, of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., gives the invocation as President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, left, bow their heads during swearing-in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009.

Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren aroused controversy when picked to give the inaugural invocation, but for many of those there Tuesday the love – or, at least, tolerance – was flowing for the evangelical leader by the time his five-minute opening prayer was completed.

“May all people of goodwill today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy and a more prosperous nation and peaceful planet,” Warren prayed.

“When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget You, forgive us,” He then called on Americans to have “civility in our attitudes, even when we differ.”

While many supporters of President Barack Obama object to Warren’s outspoken support of the Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage, a lot of those on hand Tuesday seemed to embrace the message of Warren’s invocation.

“I don’t agree with Warren’s views on gay marriage,” said Bill Proudman, an employee-equality consultant from Portland, Ore. “But I think he was a brave choice. This is about inclusion, not exclusion. This is the place to start bridging the gap between Americans.”

“I thought his prayer was magnificent,” said Edington, a Presbyterian and regular churchgoer. “I thought he encompassed everything this inauguration was about.”

Obama invited an ideologically diverse set of Christian leaders to participate in the inauguration, including a closing benediction by liberal black Methodist Rev. Joseph Lowery. Earlier, V. Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop, delivered the invocation at a Sunday event, while Protestant Rev. Sharon Watkins is scheduled to become the first woman to give the sermon at today’s National Prayer Service.

Bob Gentry of Laguna Beach, the first openly gay mayor in the nation, praised Obama’s inclusion of Bishop Robinson, saying it sent a message to the gay community that the transition team was attempting to soften the blow of Warren’s participation in the ceremonies.

He had little to say about Warren’s invocation other than that he appreciated Warren’s good wishes for the president-elect.

“I felt he did what was expected of him,” said Gentry in a call from Hawaii. “There seems not to be a phalanx of openly gay people on the transition team. Had there been, Mr. Warren would not have been invited because of his positions on our character as gay people… that we can change and that we’re amoral. When he looks through his biblical eyes, he sees a minority group that is not whole, not worthy of civil rights and are sinful. This is emboldened by his deep-seated prejudice.”

Gentry added that he’s sure that Warren is a caring person and not an evil person “But he’s wrong and shouldn’t have been highlighted today….If you take the word gay out and you put in woman or black …if he’d said one of those words he would never have appeared on the dais today.”

In his invocation, Warren asked that God forgive all who fall short of respecting others.

“When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect they deserve, forgive us,” Warren prayed.

“I may or not agree with everything he says, but I agree with everything he said today,” said Alitha Alleyne, a Brooklyn grants administrator and regular churchgoer. “He was about inclusion and he was very positive.”

“I like Rick Warren,” agreed John Tillman, a Church of Christ minister from Houston who also opposes gay marriage. “He’s done some fabulous things with the Saddleback Church, with getting them involved working on problems, with emphasizing the people first – not him first.

“I thought it was beautiful,” Tillman said. “It was heartfelt.”

But Audrey Prosser, a Laguna Beach realtor associated with the Elections Committee of Orange County, a gay and lesbian PAC, said she watched the prayer with mixed emotions.She said Warren repeatedly invoked the name of Jesus, something that did not resonate with her.

“I felt the benediction by Rev. Lowery gave me satisfaction. That was a real prayer of unity. It came across as sincere. It made Rick Warren look like a used car salesman — like he was selling something.

“(For Warren) to stand there and ask the nation to ask for forgiveness when he’s the one who needs it…It seemed so canned. I had lots of pople who called me and said they felt the same way. It didn’t seem like someone who spoke from the heart.”

Martin Wisckol has been the Register's politics writer and weekly Buzz columnist since 1998, and was given the title of political editor by a generous boss in 2011. He started his career writing about surfing and music, but has written predominantly about government and politics since 1985. He has held reporting positions in his hometown of San Diego, as well as in Detroit, Jacksonville and Miami. Along the way, he has put in extended stints in Japan, South America and Switzerland. His work has been honored by the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Headliner Awards, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the Florida Press Club, among others.

Erika Ritchie reports on South Orange County coastal communities, military issues and Camp Pendleton for the OC Register. She explores everything from coastal access, environmental issues and marine life to city government, animal welfare and quality of life. She’s won many awards including first place in news (2016) by the Orange County Press Club for her coverage of record numbers of whale entanglements off the California coast. Erika’s covered military change of command and seen military affairs firsthand from the sea aboard a battleship, air from a MV-22 Osprey, and land including Pendleton’s International war games and San Clemente Island’s ordnance ranges. Journalism allows Erika’s penchant for telling human stories of conflict, struggle and joy. Her monthly Everyday Hero feature does just that, highlighting achievements of some of Orange County’s most dedicated volunteers and non-profit leaders. Since joining the Register in 2001, she’s at times covered every city in South Orange County delving into development, housing, transportation, county government and social issues. She’s often written about Saddleback Church and Pastor Rick Warren’s emerging national and global roles. Erika’s passionate about animals and outdoor adventure. She runs, stand-up paddles and skis - both alpine and x-country. She frequents Mammoth Lakes and Mountain for hiking, biking & skiing and for her dogs to frolic in the snow and lakes. She grew up bilingual in German and conversational in French.

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